The key facts

  • The highest share of workers with higher education in 'under-qualified' jobs is in Turkey (36%); among EU countries — Spain (34%)
  • Among those born outside the EU the figures are higher: 58% in Greece, 52% in Italy, 50% in Estonia
  • The lowest oversupply of qualifications among those born outside the EU is in the Netherlands, North Macedonia, Serbia, Luxembourg, and Croatia — below 25%

A diploma does not guarantee a matching job

University graduates in Europe often hold positions that do not require higher education: administrative roles, retail and services, work as machine and equipment operators, and caregiving. The scale of this phenomenon is shown by Eurostat statistics on employed people aged 20 to 64, on which the infographic by the Kun.uz publication is based. It separately highlights workers born in the country itself, in other EU countries, and outside the union.

Leaders in diploma oversupply

Among the listed countries, the highest share of workers whose level of education exceeds the requirements of their job is recorded in Turkey — 36% of all employees with higher education. Among those born in the country itself, the figure is 36%, among those born outside the EU — 38%, and among those born in other EU countries — 30%. The leader among EU member states is Spain at 34%: 32% among those born in the country, 46% among those born outside the EU, and 38% among those born in other union countries. Third place is held by Greece at 31% overall; meanwhile, among those born outside the EU the share reaches 58%.

The gap between locals and migrants

The overall figure can conceal significant differences within countries. In Estonia and Italy, the share of workers with higher education employed below their qualification level among those born in the country is relatively small — 18% and 19% respectively — but among those born outside the EU it reaches 50% in Estonia and 52% in Italy. A similar picture is seen in the Czech Republic and Iceland: 12% each among locals versus 45% in the Czech Republic and 43% in Iceland among those born outside the EU. According to data cited by Kun.uz, work below one's education level is least common among those born outside the EU in the Netherlands, North Macedonia, Serbia, Luxembourg, and Croatia — there the figure is below 25%. Thus, the mismatch between diploma and job primarily affects people from third countries, whereas for those born in the country the values are noticeably lower in most of the listed states.